Question about lawns...Grass seed...weeds...

I'd be interested in some tips as well. I've had TruGreen take care of my lawn for the last few years and, while it looks OK, I'd like to see if I can achieve the same results without spending quite as much or dumping so many chemicals on it.

Next spring, unless removed, any perennial weeds that are populating the bare spots will outcompete any new grass started from seed. They have to be removed. We will be having a warm (relatively speaking) week coming up. Perennial weeds are now translocating nutrients downward to the roots to be stored as energy for new growth next spring. So, now is a great time to get the best results from an application of Roundup. Roundup kills by moving to the plant's roots and killing the roots. ByeBye perennial! But remember that it will also kill anything else it touches the same way.

While it is a little late for grass seed to get fully rooted this fall, you can put down seed in the bare areas and expect to see some germination now and some early next spring. There is no "fall" mix. Choose a seed mix for your sunlight conditions and how much foot traffic that area gets. Scotts and The Anderson's both have a very good selection of seed mixes for specific situations. Choose one that fits your needs.

After you've removed the weeds rake the soil in the bare areas, put down the seed and tamp it in lightly. If you want to put down a light covering of straw straw you can, but this late in the season it most likley will just blow away. Early next spring start watching for germination and new seedling growth. Put down additional seed where necessary. Fertilize with fertilizer formulated for newly seeded lawns and irrigate when rainfall is insufficient.

Weed removal is key. Weeds will quickly populate areas where the grass has died and they will prevent new grass from growing.

Sure, you can beat TruGreen. All you need to do is fertilize the lawn in the spring and maybe once again in the summer.

This time of year I'd simply mow whatever was growing and set my sights on next year. In a month we'll have a hard frost and the lawn will be history.

If your lawn really is dead, take a roto-tiller to the dead part, rake out the debris and put down a layer of topsoil. Put grass seed on top, put a layer of straw on top of that (keeps the seed from blowing away) and water it. Follow this with fertilizer. Do not be in a rush to mow it - I don't know what ails people, but just as soon as they work themselves half to death to get the lawn to grow, they want to cut it back and kill it. Roll it to flatten the ground and cut it long. Real long.

If you have a dandelion infestation go after the little buggers as soon as you see them. Do not let even one dandelion get to the flowering stage - and if your neighbor does, dump about one quarter cup of gasoline right on top of each dandelion in his yard. Not your yard; his yard. Do this at 3:00 AM or so when he's asleep and when his obnoxious, land mine laying dog is sure to notice you and sound the alarm. By the time the neighbor gets up, you'll be long gone. See?

Also, keep kids off the lawn. Keep adults off the lawn. You say you want a lawn, but then you let everyone walk on your lawn and ruin it. About the easiest way to do this is to turn the sprinklers on when people are walking on your lawn.

During the summer water the lawn at night after sundown. Watering it during the day will burn it. If a large part of your lawn is in the shade and generally dies out, consider some sort of ground cover substitute such as myrtle or poison ivy.

Me, I hope my lawn dies so I won't have to mow it.

And, by the way, stay away from Roundup and similar products. Roundup is an herbicide and so kills everything it touches. It also poisons the local water supply and is proven to cause cancer in lab animals.

If you must use Roundup or some other herbicide, use it on someone else's lawn several blocks away.

The most important fertilizer application for established lawns is a late fall application. If you do no other at least do one in the fall.

Core aerating is a more effective lawn renewal and lawn health maintenance tool than rototilling. Fall is the best time to core aerate.

Source "Turfgrass Management" A.J. Turgeon 8th addition, the textbok currently used at Owens Community College.

thanks for the advice...my dad told me I needed to get rid of the weeds for starters!

I guess he was right! LOL

I was also reading something last night about cutting your grass at the highest setting your mower allows. Something about keeping the competing weeds in the shade.

Holland has excellent advice above. I would also add the following ideas:

1. One of the best tricks to a great lawn is overseeding , as the best way to prevent weeds from getting a foothold is to have a thick and healthy lawn.

2. Next year remember that lawns need on average an inch of water a week. Do not wait for the grass to brown before you start watering - if you go more than four or five days, water that lawn. Also: it is better to get the lawn a deep soaking once every 7-10 days than to lightly water every day. Light watering does not encourage root growth in the lawn, as the plant is not forced to dig deeper, and also weeds (especially crabgrass) love frequent shallow waterings.

3. Set your mower for the correct height: 3" or so is a good level, depending on the variety. If you cut the grass too short you will overstress it. Taller grass also inhibits weed growth.

4. Sharpen your blade several times a year, as a dull blade injures the grass. I have an extra blade that I keep ready to switch out, and I sharpen the one not being used.

5. Use a mulching blade as much as possible, as this puts nutrients back in the soil, helps maintain soil moisture, and keeps weeds down. If you elect to bag your clippings every cutting, at some point you will need to add nutrients. Early in the fall season just run your mower over the leaves and turn them into mulch to help improve soil quality, especially in sandy or clayish soils.

Finally, lawn bragging time. I have not been using fertilizer or weedkillers, just handpulling of weeds and overseeding, plus the above tips. Also, my lawn has five dogs and four grandchildren stomping around:

Roundup - glyphosate - is NOT carcinogenic. I repeat - NOT carcinogenic.
From Cornell University: http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles/herb-growthreg/fatty-alcohol-monuron/glyphosate/glyphos_prf_0285.html

"SUBACUTE AND CHRONIC TOXICITY:

Technical material was fed to rats and dogs at dietary levels of
200, 600, and 2000 ppm for 90 days. No significant differences from
control animals were observed in mean body weight, food consumption,
behavioral reactions, mortality, hematology, blood chemistry, or
urinalyses. There were no relevant gross or histopathologic changes.
Two-year feeding studies to rats and dogs and rat production
studies at dietary levels of 30, 100, and 300 ppm have shown no adverse
effects (54).
Tests on the biologically active ingredient in this formulation
(glyphosate) showed that glyphosate did not cause any mutagenic,
carcinogenic, teratogenic (birth defects), adverse reproductive
changes, or neurotoxic effects (55b).
In 2-yr feeding trials on rats and dogs no ill-effect was observed
at 300 mg/kg diet (highest dose treated) (62)."

All good stuff historymike and a GREAT looking lawn there.

historymike

You lawn looks great.

We had some massive work done that literally tore up large parts of our back yard. It included removing a huge weeping willow with massive stump. I let the spots stay bare most of the summer and used weed killer, not Roundup, and pulled by hand on some stubborn weeds.

The first of September I went to Black Diamond and made up my own lawn seed mix. I included perennial rye as is comes up quickly in warm soil and watered for about a week. We now have a beautiful lush green back yard.

Before we put the seed down my step son put over 3 loads of top soil down and raked it into the bare spots.

I do water my lawn in the summer. Most of the time instead of dieing grass goes dormant if it doesn't get enough water. The first good rain will bring it back to life.

I have been using two types of grass seed: the Dry/Shady mix and the Luxury mix from the Andersons. The Luxury is a bit brighter green, while the Dry/Shady is a bit darker and works well in, well, dry and shady spots. By overseeding with both I have been getting a more consistent blend of grass types, and I have not used weed preventives in many years. About every 2-3 years I toss down some fertilizer, but even that is probably more habit than necessity.

Wow maddie, everyone stay off your lawn.

Waste of gas BTW. It's too expensive as it is.

Worst thing that ever happened to America was this "perfect green lawn" bullshit. Chemicals all over for kids and pets to get into their bodies, and a huge waste of water in many areas, not to mention pollution from all the yard equipment.

I'm going to get a couple tons of rocks and a rake. Maybe a fountain or pond sort of thing. The rest is gonna be food plants.

I like my golf course looking yard. I got the bulk of it hydro seeded in the spring and Black Diamond did a great job keeping it alive along with lots of water from the sprinkler system.

Last month I did have a few spots die and I tossed some grass starter soil down, some Midwest grass seed mix from Scott's and watered it twice a day and it looks great again.

There are still people out there who think mulching is bad for your lawn, mostly the older generation. Gotta keep getting the word out that it's good for the lawn!

Great lawn, historymike!

I bag most of time, I don't like the mess with the pool.

From HistoryMike: Finally, lawn bragging time. I have not been using fertilizer or weedkillers, just handpulling of weeds and overseeding, plus the above tips. Also, my lawn has five dogs and four grandchildren stomping around:

Right. So this is... what, a gopher? And the gopher isn't really digging a tunnel to China in your yard. This is your neighbor's place, right?

I've gradually replaced most of my lawn with landscape beds. I do like the complimentary look of a small expanse of sharply edged, perfect velvet green lawn against well designed, mulched ornamental plant beds. A well managed turf is a little easier on the chemical and water usage. This past summer was pretty brutal on lawn grass. Researchers have developed some very good, new types of "turf type fescue" which has a bluegrass look without the high fertilizer and water demands.

Me too. Although I use Black Diamond Sport Mix.
Could your spots last month be grubs?

Thanks everyone for the advice!

Black Diamond................ Mike the Garden Guy. Those people are great. And local.

Heh! Madjack linked to a picture I took of my dog Chauncey Gardner, who works full time to try to undo my gains in improving the lawn. I do stay busy filling and returfing holes he digs, but the plus side is I lave to do less aerating. :-) Also, he has a few choice digging spots in the back corner, so at least he avoids the showcase areas along the streets (we live on a corner).

Holland, your yard is what I am working toward: less wide open patches of lawn and more landscaping. We have a double lot that totals about 1/3 of an acre, so I have a long way to go. Normally to cut the front and back is about 90 minutes per cutting, and I want to eventually get that down to 30 minutes or less by incorporating more gardens and walkways.

justread - I don't think was grubs. I've always had the yard treated for them, but then again, most of the soil and grass is new so who knows.

Now that you mentioned grubs however, we were having a problem with a skunk digging in the yard. I don’t mind the raccoons, opossums or occasional deer, but any animal with a range weapon makes me nervous.

Luckily he moved on, we were getting ready to call an trapper to take care of him.

alrighty... we have some experts here!

1 - what do you do about grubs?

2 - i've got a tree that sucks all water away from the surrounding grass resulting in thin grass and dirt patches? what to do?

3 - did you recommend a particular fertilizer or fertilizer type for this fall?

I am so lazy when it comes to this type of lawn maintenance. I just write a check every month to the fertilizer crew and the cutting crew. I then brag to my neighbors about my perfect "baseball field" stripes. Used to do everything myself...something changed ?!?!

Thistle Weed. GRRRRRRRRRR!

enjoyeverysandwich:

1. Overseeding is an excellent way to reduce grubs over time. In addition, the various beetles that produce the grubs (their larvae) like soil that is moist (i.e., overwatering or frequent shallow watering), so stick to the less frequent deep watering. I do not get too worried about grubs, as they are an ongoing regional problem, and chemicals will only knock them back for one season at best, since they will evetunally migrate from your next door neighbor's house.. A thick and healthy lawn is your best bet against grubs, just like with weeds.

2. Trees are notorious water-suckers, especially in dry weather like this past summer. The obvious answer is to water deeply the bejeesus out of that area, but longer term you should mix in some grass varieties that do well in shady and dry conditions. I have had good success with the Shady/Dry Andersons blend, and two problem tree areas I have also face heavy dog traffic. If that seed works for me under these harsh conditions, I think it will work almost anywhere. You might also add some decorative mulch around the base of the tree to reduce evaporation and eliminate the most difficult spot to get grass to grow (the image is not my yard; just a hot link from Google Images):

3. Again, fertilizer for me has been almost an afterthought since I use the mulching blade a lot and I overseed. It is important to make sure that you match the fertilizer to the types of grass you are growing. Warm season grasses (such as bermudagrass and zoysiagrass) need much less nitrogen, since nitrogen promotes growth at a time when you want the warm season grasses to start being dormant. Cool season grasses (such as bluegrass, fescues, and ryegrasses) tend to do better with higher levels of bitrogen, but even still: you should generally have lower nitrogen levels in the fall than in spring. You also want to time the fertilizer applications away from any overseeding, since fertilizer can sometimes interfere with seed germination. In this area I use cool season grass blends to overseed, but in my own lawn I can see areas where previous owners of the place introduced warm season grasses.

Grubs: we used the milky spore treatment; it's a powder that makes grubs sicken and die. The treatment had to be repeated in spring and fall, and it's not cheap. Lots of garden places used to carry it, but now I can only find it at Oak Park Water Gardens on Airport Highway. Most of our neighbors used a chemical grub control, and five years later they all still have huge grub dead zones. We do not.

Tree suck: can be handled by mulching a round area beneath the tree and no longer trying to grow grass in exactly that spot. Fall cleanup is a breeze because most of the leaves fall directly into the mulched zone, and you can dump additional (mower chopped) leaves there. We have several such places and we enjoy seeing the wildlife working those natural, woodsy areas. Squirrels planting acorns, robins pulling worms, spectacular mushrooms and spring wildflowers popping up ... it's a beautiful view and much better than nursing along some grass where it doesn't want to grow.

Fertilizer: I get a big bag of reasonably balanced lawn fertilizer and use that for everything (except flowers/fruits). There is a number system (10-10-10 for example) in which the first component is nitrogen, for boosting leaf production. It's all just a mixture of chemicals, so I buy the cheapest. I spend more on specialty fertilizer for fruit and flowers, but a big bag of basic stuff is all you'll need for lawn purposes.

Renegade

I do no think mulching is bad for our lawn. But it is bad for the inside housekeeper who has to clean up what comes in on shoes and paws.

So, our lawn service bags our grass and takes it to the recycling center.

I don't like mulching. It always seems like I wind up with grass clippings in the flower beds and now with the pool, it’s just another potential mess in the pool. I bag and go to the recycling center every week or so.

As for grub treatment, Black Diamond does a treatment every year and I’ve never head problems as far as I know of. As for wood much, I’ve got some huge beds and play area and go through 5-6 yards of mulch every spring.

Mulching works best when you use a good mulching blade that is sharp and when you cut the grass every five days or so. If the grass gets longer, or if it is wet, or your blade is dull, mulching just creates large clumps of grass. A good mulching mower with a sharp blade will cut each blade of grass and then slice the cuttings 2-3 more times, meaning the grass will fall down as tiny shreds and make useful humus.

The real benefit of the mulching blade is not having to bother with the grass clippings afterwards. :)

great answer all - thank you very much.

will aerating take care of a flat but bumpy lawn? other techniques?

For bumps I gradually add a little dirt and repeat that over time to even out the terrain. You can also rent a lawn roller; first get the ground very soaked, and then run the lawn roller over it to even things out.

Personally I prefer the first approach, as this is less stress on the lawn.

Thanks for the advice and tips everyone!
I'll be taking care of the lawn on Saturday! Thanks again!